How old is Linda? Instead of giving a simple number, she decided to turn her age into a quick math puzzle: 15 + (8 − 3) × 2. At first glance, the equation may look easy, but solving it correctly requires you to follow the standard order of operations.

Start with the expression inside the parentheses. Subtracting 3 from 8 gives us 5, leaving the equation as 15 + 5 × 2. If you immediately add 15 and 5, you would get the wrong answer because there is another important rule to follow.

According to the order of operations, multiplication must be completed before addition. So, the next step is 5 × 2 = 10. The equation has now been simplified to 15 + 10, making the final calculation straightforward.

Adding 15 and 10 gives us 25. Therefore, if Linda’s equation is meant to represent her age, the answer is 25 years old. The puzzle is a simple example of why mathematical expressions should be solved according to the correct sequence rather than simply from left to right.

Did you get 25 on your first attempt? These quick math puzzles can look deceptively simple, but a small detail like the order of operations can easily lead to a different answer. Sometimes, slowing down and following each step carefully is all it takes to solve the mystery.